Cap



April 1959 s. RAFowlTz ETAL' 2,883,669

CAP

Filed July so. 1954 INYENTOR Samuel fiaf'aw/rz Chb/rn Ban/r BY awATTORNEY United States Patent l CAP Samuel Rafowitz and Chaim Bonk, St.Paul, Minn.

Application July 30, 1954, Serial No. 446,792

1 Claim. 01. 2-172 This invention relates to an improvement in caps anddeals particularly with a cap having a flap portion which is designed toextend over the ears to protect the ears from the cold.

Various types of caps have been produced with elastic segments thereinwhich are designed to hold the flap portion of the cap tightlyencircling the head. For the most part, these elastic segments have beenin the form of elastic strips or bands which are designed to draw thelower edge of the flap tightly about the head. of the wearer.

The present invention resides in the production of a cap of somewhatsimilar design but which includes an elastic segment of a differenttype.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a caphaving a flap portion which may fold into the cap or which may fold downto encircle a portion of the face of the wearer. This flap portion isformed of relatively inelastic material which will not stretch to anymaterial extent. The interior of the flap is lined with a soft materialwhich will enclose the ears when in lowered position and which will notirritate the skin. At the rear of the 'cap, the flap portion is providedwith a connected segment of knitted material which is elastic in itscharacter and which may stretch to easily fit over the head. At the sametime this elastic segment will draw the relatively inelastic portions ofthe flaps closely over the ears so as to thoroughly protect the ears.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of. acaphaving a flap structure, including two spaced portions of relativelyinelastic material, each of which extends along one of the sides of thecap, the two sections terminating in spaced relation at the rear of thecap. Secured to this flap portion and connecting the flap sections isprovided a relatively elastic section of knitted material whichtcnds todraw the rear ends of the flaps sections together. At the same time thisknitted portion may stretch substantially so that the flaps may beeasily pulled over the head and when in place will draw the relativelyinelastic sections closely about the head.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the specificmanner in which the elastic portion is secured to the flap sections. Theflap sections are preferably formed of inner and outer layers ofmaterial, the outer layer comprising a covering layer and the innerlayer forming a soft layer designed to overlie the ears and to benonirritating to the skin. The elastic section is formed of a strip ofknitted, material which is folded at its lower edge. Thus, the knittedportion of the flap structure is also in two layers and the outer layerof the knitted section is secured to the outer layer of the inelasticsections and the inner layer of the elastic portion is secured to theinner layer of the relatively inelastic sections. Thus, each of thelayers may be individually drawn inwardly so as to closely fit the shapeand contour of the head.

These and other objects and novel features of the in- 2,883,669 PatentedApr.- 28, .1959

"ice

vention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the followingspecification and claim.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cap with the flaps in foldedcondition.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cap with the flaps in foldedposition.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the cap with the flaps inextended position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the cap, the position of thesection being indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through the cap, the position of thesection being indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

The cap is illustrated in general in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawingsand is designated in general by the letter A. The general constructionof the cap is not of utmost importance in the present invention.However, as illustrated, the crown of the cap is formed of wedge-shapedsections or segments 10 of suitable material, these sections beingconnected along their converging edges so as to form a crown which isindicated in general by the numeral 11. A button, or other ornament 12may be provided at the top of the crown.

As indicated in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, a cap liner 13 isprovided within the cap, this liner 13 being similarly constructed tothe hat crown 11. In other words, the liner may also be formed ofwedgeshaped segments 14 which form the liner crown 15. Obviously, theliner lies closely within the crown 11 .and is marginally securedthereto.

.11 to project forwardly therefrom in the usual manner.

The particular construction of this crown is not illustrated, butnormally it includes two panels of material which are marginally securedtogether to enclose a stiffener element which is not shown in thedrawings.

In order to form a cap band, a strip of fabric or other suitablematerial is doubled at 17 and is stitched at 19 through the doubled edgeof the fabric and through the doubled edge of the periphery of the capsegments 10. The doubled strip portions 20 and 21 extend upwardlyinwardly of the cap and are stitched at 22 marginally to the edge of theliner 13. The marginal edge of the strip portion 20 is doubled asindicated at 22 and the marginal edge of the strip portion 21 is doubledas indicated at 23. Stitching 24 extends through these doubled edges 22and 23 and through the flap panels so as to secure the flaps in place.

Each side of the cap is provided with a relatively inelastic flapportion which includes an outer covering 25 and an inner liner 26. Thesepanels, or coverings, are provided with a taped or bound edge 27 so asto connect these panels and to provide a finished edge. The outercovering 25 is preferably made of water resistant material while theinner panel 26 is preferably of a softer material or of fur so as toprevent any irritation of the skin.

The two flap sections which are formed in the manner described areillustrated at 29 and 30 respectively. These flap sections are ofsubstantially equal width for a distance from the back of the cap towardthe front thereof, and then tapered in width, finally tapering to apoint, or to a part of minimum thickness at the front of the cap.

The outer panels 25 of the flap sections 29 and 30 are provided withends 31 and 32 which terminate in spaced relationand which are foldedinwardly to provide a doubled edge. The liner panels 26 of the flapsections 29 and 30 are also provided with spaced ends 33 and 34respectively which are doubled and which are Substantially coextensivewith the edges 31 and 32 respectively.

An elastic section 35 of elastic material is preferably provided withvertically extending ribs 36 which make this elastic section laterallystretchable, or in other words, stretchable longitudinally of the flapsections 29 and 30. The elastic section 35 is formed of a strip ofknitted or other flexible material which is doubled at its lower edge 37so as to provide an outer layer 39 and an inner layer 40. The upperedges of both of these layers are anchored between the folded edges 22and 23 of the strip portions 20 and 21 respectively. In other words, the

hes-aces Within the scope of the following claim without departingelastic section is secured in the cap in the same way as 1 therelatively inelastic flap sections 29 and 30. .The marginaledges 41 and42 of the inner layer'40 of the knitted material are secured to thefolded edges 33 and 34 of the liner panels 26 of the two sections 29 Iand 30. v and 44 of the outer layer 39 of the elastic material aresecured to the folded edges 31 and 32 of the outer layers '25 of thesections 29 and 30. Thus, each of the layers of the flap sections issecured to a corresponding layer of the elastic section and the innerlayer may flex and expand independently of the outer layer except alongthe top and bottom edges thereof.

, "With this arrangement a novel and attractive flap In a similarmanner, the marginal edges 43 from the spirit of the present invention.

We claim:

A cap including a crown, a visor secured to the lower edge of the crownat the front thereof to extend forwardly therefrom, and a flap structuresecured marginally to the lower edge of the crown and selectivelyfoldably into the crown and downwardly therefrom, the flap structureincluding a pair of relatively inelastic elongated flap sectionsterminating with their rear ends in spaced relation at the rear of thecap, each inelastic elongated flap section including an elongated innerlayer and an elongated outer layer, the layers of each flap sectionbeing connected along one longitudinal edge to the lower edge of thecrown forming a part of the marginal connection above described andbeing connected together along their other longitudinal edges, arelatively elastic section connecting said inelastic sections, saidelastic section including an outer layer connected to theends of theouter layer of the inelastic sections and being free of directconnection with the inner layer thereof, and

said elastic section also including an inner layer connected to theouter layer of said section along a line 1 of connection parallel to andspaced from the rear margin structure is formed which produces a meansof eifecv tively' covering the ears and adjoining portions of the vhead.The elastic section '35 permits the relatively in- "elastic flapsections 29, and to spread apart sufliciently so that the cap'willreadily pass over the head, and at the same time these sections draw theflap sections tightly I along the side of the head during use. fact thateach of the layers of the inelastic material is secured to a layer ofelastic material, the layers may flex independently if desired to moreeffectively fit the contour of the head. Furthermore, flap structure iscon- Inviewofthe 35v tinuous and the elastic section does not provideany stretching of material at the rear of the cap as would be the caseif an elastic strip overlaid the outer surface of an inelasticcontinuous flap so as to draw this flap together at the rear of the cap.

In accordance with the patent statutes, the principles of constructionand operation of an improvement in caps have been described and while ithas been endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, it isdesired to have it understood that obvious changes may be made of saidcrown and being connected to the ends of the inner layers'of theinelastic sections and free of direct whereby the outer layers of theflap structure may flex independently of one another in a longitudinaland tensional direction relative to the inner layers thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS705,068 Gordon July 22, 1902 970,544 Passman Sept. 20, 1910 1,033,066Freedman July 16, 1912 1,149,271 Lazarus Aug. 10, 1915 1,379,142 WallaceMay 24, 1921 1,529,300 Cook Mar. 10, 1925 1,629,188 Warren May 17, 19272,130,552 Kuhn Sept. 20, 1938 2,644,949 Greenberg et a1. July 14, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 375,369 France May 13, 1907

